WHOOPER SWAN ay) 
then repeated. I have heard Wild Swans (presumably 
Whoopers), whistling on a migration-night overhead, along 
the Dublin coast. During the snowy weather of February, 
£300, Mr. F. Hi. W alker of Dublin drew my attention at 
dusk, to a loud whistling cry syllabled as already described. 
We heard the voices sounding from a great height in the air 
over Clontarf estuary, near ‘Dublin. It was an intensely 
cold evening and the biting north wind was blowing half 
a gale. Now and again the whistling seemed as though 
produced close to us, the storm wafting it to our ears. The 
cry was not unmusical though rather ‘clanging i in character. 
We were of the opinion that a flock of “Whooper Swans 
was passing by. 
Fosd.—The Whooper feeds largely on aquatic vegetables, 
including roots and seeds: it also eats insects, water-snails, 
and other shell-fish. 
Nest.—The nest, which is very large, is usually placed 
on the ground, often on an island in a Take : it is composed 
of coarse grasses and other materials. 
The eges, four to seven in number, are of a cream-colour 
with rough shells. Incubation begins about the last week 
in May. 
Geographical distribution—The Whooper Swan breeds 
in many parts of Arctic Europe and Asia, including Iceland, 
Finland, Lapland, Norway, Sweden, Novancrs Rica and 
Siberia. A little over a hundred years ago it nested in the 
Orkneys. On migration, it reaches the waters of Europe, 
North Africa and Asia, as far east as Japan and China. 
DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 
PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial.—Completely white; the 
head sometimes exhibiting a faintly yellowish tinge. 
Adult female nuptial.—Simuilar in plumage to the male. 
Adult winter, male and female.—Similar to the nuptial 
plumage. 
Immature, male and female.— Head, neck, back and 
wings, brownish ; breast and greater part of abdomen, pale 
brown; lower abdomen, white. 
Brak. Basal part deep yellow, this colour extending in 
front of the nostrils; rest of beak, black. 
Frrr.~ Blackish. 
Irtpes. Dark brown. 
